I hit the “it’s cold and I have nothing to wear” wall hard this year. All my blazers are a little snug now that I have muscles and my office isn’t really a blazer office, anyway. So how to stay warm? Sew up some layers.

The 80s are back, if you haven’t noticed, and a mockneck under a shirt or sweatshirt is everywhere. So I made a couple True Bias Nikko tops.

The one on the left is an Art Gallery cotton knit, which is gorgeous quality. I’d seen the print a couple years ago and loved it but didn’t really sew knits at the time. Fortunately, I was able to find some of the last on the internet at Let’s Sew. I only got a yard and a half so I had to cut the back in two pieces, and I went up a size and cut the neck a little bigger to make up for the fabric having less stretch than recommended. But it all worked out–1980s me and current me really love this one.

The one on the right is a rayon/spandex rib knit that’s really soft and cozy, even if it is a little sheer. It doesn’t have weird faces all over it but you really can’t argue with a vintage-looking striped base layer.

I’ve been wearing these a lot under shirts and cardigans and have a couple cuts of fabric coming to make more–because you have to have different color turtlenecks to coordinate with your layers. It’s the first rule of the 80s: